Crook Lodge, St. Marys, York

Hugely successful renovation of a distinguished 1850s town house with courtyard garden and parking.

Crook Lodge is a model of stylish contemporary living within a period property. The house has been skilfully remodelled to create generous family living space with storage options on every floor. The bespoke interiors offer a sophisticated finish that embraces the architectural integrity of this handsome nineteenth century building and are enhanced by a collaboration with interior designers, Plaskitt & Plaskitt. This is a property that successfully blends luxury and high tech within a double-fronted lateral layout, rarely seen in this corner of York.

St Mary’s is an elegant street of early Victorian townhouses within one of the city’s most desirable locations being just a few minutes’ stroll from St Peter’s and Bootham schools and close to the city centre. The tree-lined river embankment and Museum Gardens provide green space on the doorstep and the railway station is a pleasant two minutes’ stroll across the footbridge.

Entrance and staircase hall, sitting room/dining kitchen, drawing room, utility room, gymnasium, cloakroom/wc, office, principal bedroom suite with bathroom and dressing room, 4 further bedrooms, 3 further bathrooms
Courtyard garden to 3 sides, gated off-street parking for 2 cars

Further Details - Crook Lodge has had distinguished owners including a Director of Rowntree and grandson of York’s reforming philanthropist, Joseph Rowntree, as well as the Station Master of York during the 1890s railway heyday.

A comprehensive renovation, completed in 2024, has created a house that is filled with natural light from three elevations as well as a lightwell in the roof that illuminates the second floor landing and staircase. The entire property has been future proofed with new electrics, plumbing and cat-6 cabling. The updated roof is accompanied by insulation to the walls, floors and ceilings, and weighted timber sash windows have been fitted throughout. The finish includes elegant fireplaces, wood panelling, a Roger Oates stair-runner, Corston Architectural Detail providing all door handles, switches and sockets, and a multi room sound system with in-ceiling speakers and wireless connectivity. Underfloor heating has been laid throughout the kitchen with traditional column radiators elsewhere.

Stone steps rise to a handsome panelled front door with classical pediments. The central entrance hall is a fine panelled room with ornate architraves and an original staircase with delicate spindles rising to the upper floors and an original staircase with wrought iron baluster descending to the lower ground floor. At the heart of the home is the dining kitchen/sitting room which extends some 27 ft. It is filled with light from south facing windows and has French doors that open west onto an elevated decked terrace and a Chesney gas stove housed in a handsome stone fireplace. The handmade kitchen includes a large island unit with family-sized breakfast bar, Quartz work surfaces and integrated appliances. A well-equipped utility/laundry room is on the lower ground floor. The beautifully proportioned drawing room features a reclaimed fireplace, stripped floorboards and elegant cornicing, with tall windows flooding the room with light. The gymnasium/cinema room on the lower ground floor is a versatile space with wall-to-wall cupboard space concealing a media unit and a window providing south-facing light.

Spanning the entire western wing of the first floor is the magnificent principal bedroom suite that rises into the roof space with large skylights and a sash window; alongside is a four-piece bathroom and a dressing room with bespoke storage space. Three further double bedrooms are all served by two bathrooms. An office with a handmade storage unit and window facing the river Ouse could also serve as an additional single bedroom.

Outside - A low wall with wrought iron railings and bespoke electric gates gives access to the wraparound courtyard garden and secure parking area. Here is ample space to fit two cars side by side. The garden is landscaped, sheltered and private. On the western elevation is an elevated cedar-wood balcony/terrace accessed from the dining kitchen and flanked by a row of pleached trees. Below is a substantial storage area for garden furniture.

Environs - St Mary’s is a residential street off Bootham that slopes gently south towards the river Ouse. The principal shopping streets, bars, cafés, restaurants and theatres of York lie within easy walking distance and mainline York Railway Station (connection to London in best time of 1hr 50 mins) is reached via a pleasant and step-free walkway across Scarborough Rail Footbridge. Sainsbury’s Local is conveniently situated on Bootham just a few minutes’ walk from the property as are the coeducational schools of St Olave’s, St Peter’s and Bootham School.

General - Tenure: Freehold
EPC Rating: D
Services & Systems: All mains services. Gas central heating. Cabled broadband Cat-5
Fixtures & Fittings: Only those mentioned in these sales particulars are included in the sale. All others, such as fitted carpets, curtains, light fittings, garden ornaments etc., are specifically excluded but may be made available by separate negotiation.
Viewing: Strictly by appointment
Local Authority: City of York Conservation area.
Directions: By car, head into York along Bootham, turn right down St Mary’s and No. 26 is at the bottom on your right hand side. ///aura.brand.unity

Photographs, particulars and showreel: May 2024
NB: Google map images may neither be current nor a true representation.